Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,52

. . . ." She took a deep breath, embarrassed that he had overheard her words. "I . . . I want to make you forget all those lonely years and . . ." Her gaze slid away from his. It sounded so silly when spoken aloud.

"Go on," he coaxed softly.

"I want to make you happy, Alex."

"You already make me happy."

"Do I?"

Nodding, he trailed his fingertips down her cheek. "More happy than I've ever been in my life."

"I'm glad."

Needing to touch him, she ran her hands over his shoulders, then slid her arms around his waist and hugged him close. Restless with wanting him, she caressed his back, her fingertips exploring the ridge of flesh along his spine. It didn't repel her now. It was a part of him, a part of who and what he was.

And it was all so incredible.

She knew so little about him, about his past, she was suddenly filled with questions. "Is Alexander the name you were born with?"

He shook his head. "I was named HeshLon, after my paternal grandfather."

"HeshLon." She repeated the name, liking the sound of it. "Where did the name Alexander Claybourne comefrom?"

"The phone book," he said with a wry grin.

"I like HeshLon," she said. "It suits you. Tell me, what are houses like where you come from? Do your people sleep in beds and cook on stoves?"

Alex grinned, surprised it had taken her curiosity so long to emerge. "Yes, natayah, we sleep in beds and cook on stoves, although our stoves are powered by our sun rather than electricity. Our houses are very similar to yours in design and function, although they're built of different materials."

"Like what?"

"They're made of a kind of, I don't know, plastic brick, I guess you'd call it. It warms our houses in the winter, and cools them in the summer.".

"Really? That's amazing." She sat up, her curiosity building. "Is your food the same as ours?"

"In a way." Sitting up, he put his arm around her shoulders and drew her up against him. "We have fruits and vegetables and a kind of bread. Our animals are also much the same as yours," he went on, anticipating her next question. "We have four-legged beasts and birds and insects, and animals that produce milk. Some are used for food, although meat is eaten sparingly on ErAdona."

"What did you do before you came to earth? Did you have a job?"

"I was what you would call a mining engineer."

"Really? What did you mine?"

"An ore similar to uranium. It's very rare, and very valuable."

"Are there others of your kind here?" she asked, wondering why the thought hadn't occurred to her before.

"Not to my knowledge."

"Is there any way you can contact your people?"

"No."

A sigh rose from deep within him; for a moment, she saw a lingering trace of sadness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Alex."

His arm tightened around her shoulder. "It doesn't matter anymore," he said quietly.

The words, the unspoken implication that she was enough for him, filled Kara's heart with warmth. "I love you, Alex."

"I know."

"Reading my mind again?"

"No. I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice, feel it in your touch."

He smiled at her, a wave of tenderness sweeping through him. The two hundred years of loneliness and exile had been worth it, he thought, worth every second for this time in Kara's arms. Gladly would he have waited two hundred more to find the love and acceptance he had found in her arms. Her love humbled him, made him weak with gratitude.

He laughed softly as he heard her stomach rumble. "You're hungry," he remarked.

"Yes."

"Let'sget you something to eat then."

"Will you eat with me?"

"If you like."

Thirty minutes later, Kara stood at the stove preparing ham and scrambled eggs. Alex sat on the floor. She could feel his gaze on her back. She had heard that phrase a thousand times, and it had been nothing more than words. But she really could feel his gaze moving over her, soft, warm, as tangible as a caress.

"Would you tell me something?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"If I can."

"Is this where you landed when you were sent here?"

"No. They set me down high in the Black Hills."

"What did you do? How did you survive?"

Alexander frowned, remembering. "The team that brought me here left me enough supplies to last a season, as well as a weapon to defend myself and tools with which to build a shelter. I hid my supplies, and explored my new world. The touch of the sun was